Flat seam



F. 0. LANE FLAT S EAM June 27, 1939.

Filed Oct. 23, 1937 775% 0. lane Affar/veqs.

Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLAT SEAM Ind.

Application October 23, 1937, Serial No. 170,566

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the: art of forming a seam between two pieces of fabric. A primary object of the invention is to form a flat seam incorporating a welt with stitching arranged whereby loosely woven material may be securely united in that seam. It is a further primary object of the invention to provide a seam structure which may be formed in one operation through a sewing machine.-

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention as indicated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a seam embodying the invention and Fig. 2 a transverse section through the; seam.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the two views in the drawing.

In forming the seam, the ends of the two pieces of fabric I0 and II are lapped one over the other in flat relation and placed under the pressure foot of a sewing machine which is formed to make three rows of stitching simultaneously and at the same time feed and apply a welt I2. The arrangement of the various parts is that indicated in the drawing wherein the welt I2 is carried over an end of the upper fabric I I and stitched to the under fabric In so as to completely bind over the edge of the fabric II. This edge of the welt I2 is thus secured directly to the fabric II] by the row of stitching I3. The other edge of the welt I2 is carried up and over on to the top of the fabric I I and there stitched through the fabric II and also through the under piece of fabric I0 by the second row of stitching I4. The third row of stitching I5 passes through the upper fabric I I and the under fabric II) adjacent the exposed edge of the under fabric.

Preferably the three rows of stitching lS, I4, and I5 are spaced equally distant to give a neat appearance. It is to be seen, Fig. 2, that the two pieces of fabric Ill and I I are not only sewed one to the other through the rows of stitching I4 and I5 but are also attached one to the other through the intermediate welt I2 between rows of stitching I3 and I I.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that the structure may be varied somewhat from that precise form and I therefore do not desire to be limited thereto beyond the limitations as may be required by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a seam formed between two pieces of fabric, an end of one fabric piece lapped in flat relation over a flatly presented end of the other piece, a welt comprising a strip with both edges underlapped laid overthe end of the top piece to extend slightly by one lapped edge over onto the under piece to cover the end of the top piece, a line of stitching passing through both thicknesses of the extended and lapped welt edge and the under fabric, a second line of stitching through both thicknesses of the welt adjacent its other lapped edge and through both pieces of fabric, and a third line of stitching spaced from said welt and passing through the upper fabric piece and the lower fabric piece adjacent its end, said second line of stitching being the only stitching passing through both fabric pieces and the welt.

2. In a seam formed between two loosely woven fabric pieces, an end portion of one piece lapped in flat relation over an end portion of the other piece, a welt laid over the end of the top piece to extend by one side over onto the under piece to cover the edge of the top piece, a line of stitching passed through the extended welt side and the under fabric piece beyond the top piece edge, a second row of stitching passed through the welt near its other side edge and through both pieces of fabric thereunder, .and a third line of stitching passed through only the upper and lower fabric pieces adjacent the edge of the under fabric piece and removed a distance from the welt edge, said second line of stitching being the only stitching passed through both fabric pieces and the welt. 

